Yet another grocery option for 739

DELAWARE TWP. - A region of Pike County starved for grocery stores will soon have two shopping options as real estate on the Route 739 corridor heats up.

Developer Charles B. Miller, president of CenterPoint Properties Inc., is under contract to buy 27 acres in Delaware Township for a retail complex anchored by a grocery store with a number of smaller stores plus some parcels appropriate for restaurants, drive-throughs or banks.

The land is next to the former Canterbury Furniture building now owned by Dingmans Medical.

Miller said initial plans will start with 70,000 to 80,000 square feet of retail space.

His company expects to present plans to Delaware Township in the next six months. Beyond that, additional development could include medical offices or other mixed uses the area may need.

No specific stores have been named but Miller says the grocery store will be one of the obvious players in the market.

The news comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of another proposed grocery, shopping and office complex on Route 739 in Dingman Township, at the intersection of Log Tavern Road.

“We are aware of the other development,” Miller said. “We feel confident that there is sufficient demand in that area to move forward.”

CenterPoint Properties is already well known in Pike County.

The Kmart plaza and neighboring Majestic Cinemas 7 movie theater complex in Westfall was developed and is owned by CenterPoint. The company developed Lowe’s and the stores in front of it, including the soon-to-be built Mavis Tires and the existing Dunkin’ Donuts.

CenterPoint developed and later sold the Mount Pocono Plaza where Kmart is located and also developed Wind Gap Plaza where there is a Giant grocery store on routes 512 and 33.